tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Acta Paediatr
. 2021 Jul 31.
doi: 10.1111/apa.16051. Online ahead of print.
Multi-inflammatory syndrome and Kawasaki disease in children during the COVID-19 pandemic: A nationwide register-based study and time series analysis
Ulla Koskela[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Otto Helve[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Emmi Sarvikivi[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Merja Helminen[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Tea Nieminen[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Ville Peltola[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Marjo Renko[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Harri Saxén[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Hanna Pasma[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Tytti Pokka[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Minna Honkila[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Terhi Tapiainen[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Aim: We investigated whether the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic was associated with the occurrence of Kawasaki disease or with multi-inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).
Methods: This national Finnish register-based study was based on laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections, MIS-C and Kawasaki disease cases. We performed a time series analysis on the occurrence of Kawasaki disease in 2016-2020.
Results: In 2020, there were 5,170 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases in children under 18 years of age and five fulfilled the MIS-C case definition. The occurrence of MIS-C was 0.97 per 1,000 (95% confidence interval 0.31- 2.26) laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections in children. Our time series analysis showed that Kawasaki disease cases decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The seasonally adjusted incidence rate ratio was 0.49 (95% confidence interval 0.32-0.74) when it was compared to pre-pandemic levels. This coincided with a reduced occurrence of respiratory infections, due to social distancing in the population.
Conclusion: This nationwide register-based study found that MIS-C was a rare complication of the SARS-CoV-2 infection. The occurrence of Kawasaki disease and respiratory infections decreased during the pandemic. This suggests that transmissible microbes may play an important role in Kawasaki disease and social distancing may have a protective effect.
Keywords: Kawasaki disease; epidemiology; multi-inflammatory syndrome in children; social distancing; transmissible microbes.
. 2021 Jul 31.
doi: 10.1111/apa.16051. Online ahead of print.
Multi-inflammatory syndrome and Kawasaki disease in children during the COVID-19 pandemic: A nationwide register-based study and time series analysis
Ulla Koskela[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Otto Helve[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Emmi Sarvikivi[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Merja Helminen[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Tea Nieminen[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Ville Peltola[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Marjo Renko[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Harri Saxén[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Hanna Pasma[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Tytti Pokka[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Minna Honkila[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Terhi Tapiainen[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34331326
- DOI: 10.1111/apa.16051
Abstract
Aim: We investigated whether the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic was associated with the occurrence of Kawasaki disease or with multi-inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).
Methods: This national Finnish register-based study was based on laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections, MIS-C and Kawasaki disease cases. We performed a time series analysis on the occurrence of Kawasaki disease in 2016-2020.
Results: In 2020, there were 5,170 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases in children under 18 years of age and five fulfilled the MIS-C case definition. The occurrence of MIS-C was 0.97 per 1,000 (95% confidence interval 0.31- 2.26) laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections in children. Our time series analysis showed that Kawasaki disease cases decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The seasonally adjusted incidence rate ratio was 0.49 (95% confidence interval 0.32-0.74) when it was compared to pre-pandemic levels. This coincided with a reduced occurrence of respiratory infections, due to social distancing in the population.
Conclusion: This nationwide register-based study found that MIS-C was a rare complication of the SARS-CoV-2 infection. The occurrence of Kawasaki disease and respiratory infections decreased during the pandemic. This suggests that transmissible microbes may play an important role in Kawasaki disease and social distancing may have a protective effect.
Keywords: Kawasaki disease; epidemiology; multi-inflammatory syndrome in children; social distancing; transmissible microbes.